Uganda has secured funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to upgrade Arua airport into an international-standard facilityThe work will take place under Phase 1 of the Uganda Airports Development Programme and follows the approval of a €156mn loan facility.Located roughly 450 kilometres from the capital Kampala, Arua is a strategic gateway to Uganda’s West Nile region, and neighbouring markets in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).However, limited domestic and international air-travel facilities within th region have hindered its growth.Uganda hopes the airport upgrade will transform regional air transport and unlock new economic opportunities in the area.Fred Bamwesigye, director general of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, called the airport a “significant development for Uganda, which will strengthen aviation infrastructure and regional connectivity, and is expected to stimulate social and economic transformation for the region.”The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority will also implement the project.“Arua Airport is currently the second busiest in the country after Entebbe International Airport and has immense growth potential,” said Bamwesigye.“The airport will also serve as an alternative to Entebbe International Airport during emergencies.”The project will involve the construction of a 3.5-kilometre paved runway capable of handling large aircraft such as the Boeing 777; new taxiways and aprons; a passenger terminal with capacity for 700,000 travellers annually, and a cargo terminal designed to handle 25,000 tonnes per annum.The airport will also have a new control tower, access roads, car parking and modern safety systems.The work is expected to create 500 direct jobs during construction and more than 1,400 indirect jobs in tourism, agriculture and trade.Arua, the regional capital of northwestern Uganda, is a region endowed with mineral wealth and has strong potential in agriculture, tourism, culture, trade, regional integration and logistics.Improved air access will help farmers and businesses move perishable goods to regional and international markets more quickly and at a lower cost. The airport will also improve access to major tourist attractions in the region.“This project is about more than an airport. It is about connecting people to opportunity, opening new markets for businesses, supporting tourism and strengthening Uganda’s role as a regional trade and logistics hub,” said Mike Salawou, director of AfDB’s infrastructure and urban development department.The Ugandan government is also provide a small amount of funding for the scheme, worth under €2mn.Read more:
Uganda’s Arua airport set for huge upgrade
Arua Airport set for transformation. (Image source: AfDB)
